WARREN TWP., Ohio (WKBN) – Warren Township parents are facing charges after police said their children were found in a house infested with lice and bed bugs.

Jerry Ponder and Crystal Madison, both 36, are each charged with child endangering. Both are out on bond Wednesday night, though they have been ordered to not have contact with their two young kids.

Their children — 3 and 5 years old — were found after police responded to 1550 Dilley Road NW on Sunday for a dispute between the landlord and tenants.

Warren Township Police Chief Don Bishop said the landlord was renting out multiple rooms in the house, including the basement.

“We’ve seen the people come and go and for a while, the house was empty. There was no electricity, then all of a sudden, people moved back in again. We didn’t know they were renting rooms out to people,” a neighbor said.

During the investigation, officers noticed the children had bites from bed bugs, Bishop said. He added that the young girl had hair missing due to lice.

According to a police report, the children had no mattresses to sleep on and everything in the home was dirty.

“A dirty home alone’s not a reason for a child to leave, but sometimes it crosses the line into neglect,” said Tim Schaffner, with Trumbull County Children Services.

Bishop said two pipes believed to be used to smoke marijuana were found in plain view.

Investigators took emergency custody of the children for their own safety. Children Services and the Health Department were called.

“I can assure you, these children are fine. They’re together with a wonderful foster family and our community team will all work together to help this family rebuild,” Schaffner said.

Chief Bishop said Ponder and Madison were arrested on warrants for unrelated charges. After an investigation, they were arrested again on Tuesday on child endangering charges.

Both appeared in Warren Municipal Court on Wednesday, where bond was set at $5,000. A preliminary hearing is set for February 6.

Bishop said the landlord hasn’t been charged yet, but an investigation is ongoing.
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The victim has been identified by police as Lesli Kelly, a food services employee at the school. Police believe the shooter was her estranged husband, William Kelly.

Investigators are calling this an ambush.

“We are so sad that this tragedy happened on campus,” Chancellor Jennifer Cushman said.

The report of a shooting at Penn State Beaver brought a large police response to the university.

Police believe William Kelly pulled up in the parking lot of the food services building, known as the Bistro, and told Lesli he was going to deliver Christmas presents to her for the kids.

Investigators say the pair started talking, then William started shooting. He fired at least two handguns and police found about eight shell casings in the parking lot.

“Our campus is a public place and people can gain access, but our police are quite good. It was an unfortunate tragedy,” Cushman said.

Director of Public Relations April Johnson-Smith said it was finals week, so there weren’t as many students on campus.

It’s believed that Lesli filed reports of harassment with campus police within the last week.

“We’re vigilant and our police are doing everything they can to keep people safe,” Cushman said. “We’re happy that the situation is contained and we will be working on our grief together, as a community.”

All finals have been moved to Friday but the campus will remain open to students. Grief counselors will be on hand.

Penn State Beaver is about 40 miles from Youngstown.

01PSU AlertBR: Shots fired near Bistro. Situation is contained. We will remain on lockdown until further notice. Authorities responding.

]]>http://wkbn.com/2017/12/13/reports-shots-fired-on-penn-states-beaver-campus/feed/0Thu, 14 Dec 2017 01:55:11 +0000Penn State University LogoYoungstown State University student picked up in Austintown sex stinghttp://wkbn.com/2017/12/13/youngstown-state-university-student-picked-up-in-austintown-sex-sting/
http://wkbn.com/2017/12/13/youngstown-state-university-student-picked-up-in-austintown-sex-sting/#respondWed, 13 Dec 2017 18:11:36 +0000http://wkbn.com/?p=472561AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A Youngstown State University student from Orwell was picked up in the Austintown Police Department’s latest sex sting.

Police said 22-year-old Albert Maruna, IV believed that he was talking to a 15-year-old boy online, but it was really an undercover officer.

Conversations with Maruna began on December 5 after Maruna responded to a posting on a dating application, according to a police report.

The officer told Maruna that he was 15 at which time Maruna responded that he didn’t believe in age, according to the report.

Police said Maruna’s conversations soon turned to the topic of sexual activity, and Maruna sent nude photographs to the officer. Police said it was evident that he started to develop feelings for the “teen boy” as he told the officer, “You are my one and only” and that he would like to be his husband some day.

According to a police report, Maruna tried to arrange a meeting with the officer, requesting that he wear a jock strap during their time together.

Police said on Tuesday afternoon, Maruna arranges to meet the officer at a location in Austintown, telling him that he is bringing lube, Sprite and chicken alfredo.

Maruna was then arrested and charged with importuning, disseminating matter harmful or obscene to juveniles, possession of criminal tools and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Police said he was found with the items, including a Tupperware container of chicken alfredo.

Police said during questioning, Maruna did not appear to deem having sex with a 15-year-old boy as being wrong.

The lawsuit states that DeRay McKesson was falsely arrested in 2016 while attending a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in which a police officer was struck in the face with a rock and seriously injured.

The officer sued the Black Lives Matter movement and McKesson for his injuries.

After the officer’s lawsuit was dismissed, Pirro “made a series of outrageously false and defamatory statements about Mr. McKesson, including that he directed someone to hit the police officer in the face with a rock,” McKesson’s lawsuit said.

Pirro’s statements, which were made during an appearance on the Fox News show “Fox & Friends,” were extremely dangerous and continue to endanger McKesson, the lawsuit said.

Fox News said Pirro’s statements are protected speech.

“We informed Mr. McKesson’s counsel that our commentary was fully protected under the First Amendment and the privilege for reports of judicial proceedings. We will defend this case vigorously,” the statement said.

The suit, which also names Fox News Network, was filed in New York on Tuesday.

Last month, Pirro, a former Westchester County district attorney and host of the Fox News Channel show “Justice with Judge Jeanine,” was issued a speeding ticket for driving 119 mph (192 kph) in a 65 mph (105 kph) zone in upstate New York.

9:00 a.m. – Southern Blvd. and Indianola Rd., police were called for a man who was passed out behind the wheel of a car in a busy intersection. Anthony Romeo, 35, of North Lima, was charged with OVI (refusal) after he was treated. Police suspect Romeo was under the influence of drugs, according to a police report.

Friday, Dec. 8

3:29 a.m. – 4000 block of Cascade Dr., a man reported that his motion-detector alarms started going off, and he woke up to find two men dressed in black, looking into the windows of his home and into his vehicle. He said he went outside to confront them, but the men ran. He said $50 was missing from his vehicle, which was unlocked.

7:38 a.m. – 3900 block of Risher Rd., a woman reported that her sunglasses and iPod were stolen from her vehicle, which was unlocked and parked in her driveway.

3:18 p.m. – 5600 block of South Ave., Erin Hallas, 35, arrested and charged with OVI (refusal), possessing drug abuse instruments, drug paraphernalia and failure to control. Police said Hallas crashed into Central Heating and Cooling and appeared to be under the influence of drugs. They reported finding a pipe in the car, as well as a used needle and syringe. She was taken to the hospital, where she refused to take any chemical tests.

3:35 p.m. – 8200 block of Market St., four juveniles — aged 12, 13, 15 and 16 — were arrested for breaking and entering and vandalism charges. They were charged after an investigation into reported vandalism at America’s Wholesale Outlet on November 13. Police said a window was broken, there was spray paint on the side of the building and multiple pieces of merchandise were broken.

5:15 p.m. – 600 block of E. Midlothian Blvd., Bernard Wilt, 34, of New Castle, Pa., charged with possessing drug abuse instruments and drug paraphernalia. Police said Wilt had a burnt metal spoon and needle hidden in his underwear. Wilt was questioned after Speedway gas station employees reported that he was acting strangely and fell asleep at the counter.

7:16 p.m. – 100 block of Amberwood Ct., a man reported that the front door of his house was kicked in by an unknown person while he was home. He said he didn’t see the person and ran out of the house, calling 911. Police searched for the intruder, but were unable to find anyone.

Saturday, Dec. 9

1:30 a.m. – 1500 block of Boardman Canfield Rd., Latesha Hines, 28, of Youngstown, arrested on a warrant for a telephone harassment charge. Police said on October 20, Hines, the mother of a sixth grader, sent a message to another student, saying she didn’t want her talking to her son. Police said Hines told the girl in the message, “You runnin’ through too many boys and you only 12,” and to, “Hit them books instead.” The girl’s mother told police Hines also sent a video in which Hines threatened to beat up children and parents.

3:39 a.m. – 8400 block of Market St., Melissa Morse, 40, of North Lima, arrested and charged with OVI and driving under suspension. Police said Morse was sleeping behind the wheel of a parked vehicle and an officer had to break a window to get her to wake up. Police said Morse appeared to be under the influence of some type of drug and made the comment, “I did take something but not something that would show up on a drug test.”

11:27 a.m. – 8400 block of Market St., Celeste Curry, 55, arrested on a warrant for intimidation, inducing panic and assault charges. Police said on October 26, Curry punched a nurse at Park Center Nursing Home. The nurse told police Curry called her at the nurse’s station several times but due to phone issues, she was unable to hear what she was saying. She said Curry was upset because she hung up the phone on her. After punching the nurse, witnesses told police Curry then threatened to go home, get her gun and come back, leading the nursing home to go on lockdown.

2:52 p.m. – Hillman St. near Prestwick Dr., Edward Thomas, 33, of Youngstown, arrested and charged with having weapons under disability, improper handling of a firearm and possession of drugs. Police stopped Thomas for an alleged traffic violation and reported seeing him throw something in the back of the vehicle. Police said a loaded gun was in the trunk area and the back seat was down, making the gun accessible to the passengers. One passenger told police that Thomas tossed the gun there when he was pulled over, according to a police report. Police said Thomas was also found with marijuana and Tramadol pills.

Sunday, Dec. 10

8:33 a.m. – 7100 block of Market St., a woman reported that someone slashed the four tires of her vehicle while it was parked at the Boardman Inn. She gave police the name of a suspect.

Monday, Dec. 11

1:02 a.m. – 700 block of Canterbury Ln., a woman reported that she received several phone calls at work from her co-worker’s ex-wife, who then made a comment about her window being broken. She told police that her children called to report that someone threw a large stone through a window of their house. The victim believed the suspect was upset that she is friends with her ex-husband.

1:25 p.m. – 5200 block of Market St., police received a report that a man and woman left without paying for their hotel room at the Town and Country Motel. Management didn’t want to press charges but wanted the room to be paid. Police said a purse was left behind in the room, and the purse contained suspected drug items.

Disclaimer: These reports don’t represent all calls made to the Boardman Police Department. This public information was provided in reports from the Boardman Police Department. Items reflect charges filed, not convictions.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – For 20 years, people have stood before Mahoning County Judge John Durkin asking for another chance at redemption, another chance at sobriety.

Wednesday morning, seven people received certificates after graduating from the county’s felony drug court program.

There have been 1,300 people who have entered the drug court and roughly half have successfully completed the program.

“Our recidivism rate is less than nine percent, and that is no matter the drug choice,” said Judge John Durkin.

Over time, the faces and drugs being abused have changed. Twenty years ago, the average participant was in his or her mid-30s and addicted to cocaine. Now, they are around 24 years old and the drug is most often an opiate.

The tenants of the program, though, have largely stayed the same.

“They have to engage in treatment. If they don’t have a license, they need to get one. If they don’t have a job, they need to get one,” Durkin said.

While the program itself is 20 years old locally, the idea was born before that when Judge Durkin says he realized society couldn’t simply lock up the problem. He said people were committing crimes because of addiction.

“There’s got to be a different way. So, I started doing a lot of research about his model and thought why don’t we bring it to Mahoning County,” Durkin said.

Unlike other courts where defendants are sent off to prison, this was a celebration — both for those completing the 12 to 18-month-long program and for the judge and his staff. There were plenty of cheers when this latest group of graduates recognized the anniversary.

“Thank you for chances, choices and changes,” Durkin said.

In this season of giving, the seven who graduated Wednesday may have received their greatest gift of all – getting their lives back.

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]]>http://wkbn.com/2017/12/13/mahoning-county-judge-celebrates-success-of-alternative-court/feed/0Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:08:46 +0000drug-courtWalmart gives workers a way to get paid earlierhttp://wkbn.com/2017/12/13/walmart-gives-workers-a-way-to-get-paid-earlier/
Thu, 14 Dec 2017 02:14:50 +0000https://lintvwkbn.wordpress.com/?post_type=pending_ap_story&p=472715NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is providing workers with an app aimed at helping them budget their money and get paid before payday.

The retailer said Wednesday that it teamed up with financial technology startup Even and PayActiv to provide an app to 1.4 million Walmart workers.

The Even app automatically plans ahead for bills, savings goals and will show workers how much they can safely spend. It will also allow workers to access cash before a scheduled payday up to eight times a year for free.

Walmart said it will cover the costs for Even for both full and part-time workers at Walmart, Sam’s Club and its e-commerce sites. Users will have to pay a fee if they want to get paid earlier more than eight times a year.

Critics and labor groups said the service is another sign that Walmart doesn’t pay its workers enough.

“Living paycheck to paycheck is too common at Walmart and that is the problem that Walmart should be trying to solve,” said the Organization United for Respect at Walmart.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. pays new workers $9 an hour. That’s above the $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage, but below some of what its rivals pay. Target Corp., for example, has a minimum hourly wage of $11 and plans to grow it to $15 by the end of 2020.

Senate Bill 134 will name two roads and a bridge in the Mahoning Valley.

A portion of State Route 170 will be designated Poland Township Police Officer Richard E. Becker Memorial Highway. Becker, who was 36, was shot and killed in the line of duty in 1983.

A section of Route 224 will be named after Poland Township Police Officer Charles Yates. He was 59 years old in 1984 when he suffered a deadly heart attack after struggling with a female suspect he arrested for drunk driving.

Also, the Mahoning Avenue Bridge over Route 11 will be called “Women Veterans Bridge” to honor female vets across the state.

The measure was voted out of both chambers in recent weeks, and in both cases, the bills were fast-tracked through the committees in opposing chambers.

As expected, it passed virtually along party lines today on the Senate floor.

The House Bill is the identical twin to a Senate bill put forward by Senator Frank LaRose. His bill made it to the House floor but did not need to be brought up for a vote Wednesday after the Senate passed the House version.

“What’s more important than who gets the credit is getting good public policy done, in my opinion,” said LaRose. “I think you can get a lot accomplished at the state capitol if you’re focused on doing good policy.”

Senator Joe Schiavoni once again publically voiced his opposition to the legislation prior to the vote.

“We continue to have bills that get brought to the floor by majority party members, Republicans in the Senate and the House, that restrict a woman’s right to choose,” said Schiavoni. “They’re unconstitutional bills that are going to end up in court anyway.”

Senate President Larry Obhof says the issue of constitutionality is not the legislature’s problem.

“We’ll see how things go in court if that’s where it ends up,” said Obhof. “We’ve passed a number of pro-life bills over the last few years, some of those have resulted in litigation many of them have not.”

During the vote, pro-choice supporters silently protested with shirts that spelled out “stop the bans.”

The bill heads to the governor who now has just a few weeks to sign it into law.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Manigault Newman’s last day will be Jan. 20, one year since Trump’s inauguration. “We wish her the best in future endeavors and are grateful for her service,” Sanders said.

The president also bid her farewell, tweeting: “Thank you Omarosa for your service! I wish you continued success.”

Manigault Newman was an assistant to the president and director of communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison, working on outreach to various constituency groups. But the office languished under her watch and White House chief of staff John Kelly had indicated that changes were forthcoming, including her dismissal, according to two White House officials who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about personnel matters.

Better known by just her first name, Manigault Newman was escorted from the White House complex Tuesday night but was allowed to tender her resignation. The U.S. Secret Service, which provides security for the president, tweeted Wednesday that it was not involved in her termination or her escort from the grounds. Some published reports said Secret Service officers had physically removed Manigault Newman from the complex.

The agency confirmed that a pass granting her access to the complex had been deactivated.

“Our only involvement in this matter was to deactivate the individual’s pass which grants access to the complex,” the agency tweeted.

Manigault Newman’s exit comes at the front end of what’s expected to be a wave of departures. Deputy national security adviser Dina Powell is also departing early next year, the White House said last week.

Manigault Newman, who drew a top salary of $179,700, was one of Trump’s highest-profile supporters during the campaign. She also worked with Trump’s transition team.

A former contestant on the first season of “The Apprentice,” Trump’s former reality TV show, Manigault Newman had long been unpopular with several senior West Wing officials, including senior adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and White House chief of staff John Kelly.

Kelly, the retired Marine general who had made it is mission to tighten White House operations and streamline how Trump gets information, has told aides that he wanted to curtail the number of White House officials with ill-defined positions and responsibilities.

Kelly took away Manigault Newman’s ability to come and go from the Oval Office as she pleased. During the first months of Trump’s administration, aides were known to wander in and out of meetings, a practice Kelly ended across the board. She also drew Kelly’s ire by occasionally going around him to slip news articles to the president.

Manigault Newman enjoyed a close relationship with the president despite the fact that he once uttered the famous “You’re fired!” line to her before dispatching her from the TV show. She held her April wedding at Trump’s hotel blocks from the White House.

She had a knack for generating unflattering headlines.

An African-American White House reporter earlier this year accused Manigault Newman of physical and verbal intimidation, including issuing a warning that the White House kept “dossiers” on black journalists. The White House denied compiling such information.

Her appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in New Orleans in August devolved into a testy clash with a veteran news anchor during a panel discussion on policing in black communities.

LEXI’S TOY DRIVE
Lexi Cintron, a senior at Austintown Fitch High School, is collecting toys for “Lexi’s Toy Drive,” an organization she created that donates toys to Someplace Safe, a shelter for domestically battered women and children in Warren. She will be collecting toys from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Spalon of Sara Morris, located at 5000 E. Market St. Suite 21 in Howland. The toy drive runs from Dec. 2 to Dec. 15.

WARREN FAMILY MISSION TOY DRIVE
The Warren Family Mission is collecting new, unwrapped toys for children ages 0 to 18 (as long as the teenager is still in high school). Now through December 16, donations can be dropped off at the Mission, located at 155 Tod Ave. NW in Warren, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. All donations are tax deductible. For more information, call 330-394-5437.

BRIGHTEN UP FOR THE KIDS TOY DRIVE
Brighten Up for the Kids is a non-profit organization that collects toys, gifts and monetary donations for kids who stay in the hospital over the holidays. They also send home a toy with each child who goes to the hospital for services, year round. The group donates to Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley. Drop-off locations include Youngstown Cycle Supply (6915 Market St., Boardman); HD Davis CPAs (125 Churchill Hubbard Rd., Youngstown); Trailside Bicycle Company (410 West Main St., Canfield); Stone Fruit Coffee Company (Boardman, Columbiana and Youngstown locations) and One Hot Cookie (Boardman, Youngstown and Niles locations). The last day to drop off gifts is Dec. 22. To donate money, visit the organization’s website. The collection runs through Jan. 7.

GIVING HEARTS FOR FRESH STARTSMillwood, Inc. and Northeast Ohio Adoption Services are collecting donations for Valley families and children who are aging out of foster care. “Giving Hearts for Fresh Starts” aims to help those in need get back on their feet during the holiday season. Half of the donations will be given to NOAS to help children aging out of the foster care system, and the other half will be given to families that chaplains work with daily. Milwood is accepting houseware, nonperishable food, toiletries and cleaning supplies, clothes, toys, baby items and Visa or Walmart gift cards. Goods can be dropped off at Millwood, Inc. at 3708 International Blvd. in Vienna or NOAS at 5000 E. Market St., Suite 26 in Warren. Items can be accepted from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through January 12.

Tuesday, Dec. 12:

NILES MIDDLE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Join the Niles Middle School band students at their 2017 winter concert. The 6th graders will play at 6 p.m., followed by the 7th and 8th graders at 7:30 p.m. Both concerts are free. Niles Middle School is located at 411 Brown St.

Wednesday, Dec. 13:

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN LUNCHEONThe Youngstown South Christian Women’s Connection is holding a “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” luncheon at Avion on the Water Banquet Center, located at 2177 W. Western Reserve Rd. in Canfield. The lunch is 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and features a gift giveaway, music and guest speaker Connie Rhodebeck. The cost is $13.50. Reservations are required by Dec. 6. To reserve your spot, call Connie at 330-788-2340 or Patty at 330-332-2789.

LEETONIA LUTHERAN CHURCH NATIVITY DISPLAY
Large display of nativity sets at the church at 29 Spruce Street in Leetonia from 6 to 7 p.m. Free event and open to the public. Call 330-427-6585 for more information.

Thursday, Dec. 14:

DIY HOLIDAY DECOR BOX PROJECTSJoin Munnell Run Farm, in conjunction with Mitzi Dales, owner of “No Place Like Home” in Greenville, for a program highlighting DIY Holiday Decor. There are two wooden projects; please refer to www.munnellrunfarm.org to see a picture of the two projects. The class will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Munnell Run Farm “Pig Barn,” located at 753 Greenville Rd., Mercer, Pa. No art experience is required. All paint materials will be provided as well as instruction. It costs $28 for the set of three tealight holders and $21 for the set of three Christmas boxes. Pre-register and pre-pay by December 8. To pre-register, please call 724-662-2242.

BOARDMAN HIGH SCHOOL HOLIDAY JAZZ CONCERT
All three of Boardman’s jazz ensembles will perform holiday selections and standard jazz pieces. Doors to the Boardman Performing Arts Center (7777 Glenwood Ave.) open at 6:15 p.m. for the 7 p.m. concert. Admission is free.

Friday, Dec. 15:

LEETONIA ITALIAN-AMERICAN (ITAM) CLUB FISH FRY
At the club dining hall at 202 Main Street in Leetonia from 5 to 8 p.m. Open to general public, kids menu available. You can also call 330-427-9900 for carry-out.

CHRISTMAS AT BELIEVER’S CHURCH
Beginning at 7 p.m., enjoy live music with our Believers Church Band and special guest, Charles King. Be inspired by encouraging moments with Pastor Joe and participate in a dance party with your favorite Disney characters. You can also meet Santa and enjoy coffee and donuts from Nova Coffee Company. The event is at Believers Church Warren Campus (2577 Schenley Ave. NE, Warren, OH 44483).

LIVE NATIVITY AT TRINITY FELLOWSHIP IN BOARDMAN
A live nativity scene will be at Trinity Fellowship Church, located at 4749 South Ave. in Boardman, from 7 to 9 p.m. It features live actors and animals, Christmas carols, soup and hot chocolate. For more information, visit TFCYoungstown.com.

GREENVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “DECK THE HALLS” HOLIDAY CONCERT
Starting at 7:30 p.m., the 70-member Greenville Symphony Orchestra with the Greenville Area Community Theater and The SAY Chorus will usher in the holiday season in grand style. Don’t miss their debut on the Scottish Rite Cathedral’s stage, located at 110 East Lincoln Ave., New Castle, PA. Tickets range from $5 to $24 and can be bought on the cathedral’s website.

Saturday, Dec. 16:

FREE SPAGHETTI DINNER AND TOY GIVEAWAY
Our Community Kitchen will be serving a free spaghetti dinner between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., provided by the Cocca family. The kitchen will be giving away warm winter clothing, Christmas toys and personal hygiene products. Our Community Kitchen is located at 551 Mahoning Ave. in Youngstown.

GIVING WITH SANTADr. Jessica Reiter, a local doctor in Austintown, is putting on a charity event with the companies Party On! and Everything Buckeyes. The event benefits Akron Children’s Hospital and Second Harvest Food Bank. It will be held at Party On! from 1-4 p.m., located inside the Eastwood Mall. In exchange for a donation of unwrapped toys or non-perishable food items, you can take pictures with Santa, who arrives at 1:30 p.m. If you would like to donate before the event, you can do so at Dr. Reiter’s office at 1450 South Canfield-Niles Road; Party On! at either its Eastwood Mall or Austintown Plaza Shopping Center locations; or at Everything Buckeyes in the Eastwood Mall. Monetary donations will only be accepted at the event.

TOY DRIVE AND JEEP PARADE
4WD is lending a helping hand to Santa again this year with its second-annual toy drive and Jeep parade. The 4WD retail store in Columbiana has been collecting donations of toys. At 3 p.m., all toys will be loaded into Jeeps and a parade will deliver the toys to the Akron Children’s Hospital in Boardman. Prior to that, the store will have photos with Santa and CJ the dog, as well as cookies and coffee provided by High Octane Coffee Company and Hogan’s Bakery. 4WD is located at 44488 OH-14 in Columbiana. You can donate toys to the store before Dec. 16.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER AT GREENE EAGLE WINERY
Enjoy a Christmas dinner, wine and live entertainment by Jim Gill at the Greene Eagle Winery. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and consists of Coca-Cola ham, glazed lamb chops, parmesan asparagus orzo and more. Reservations must be made before Dec. 10 online through the winery’s website or by calling the winery at 330-583-9463. Reservations are $25 per person plus tax (online) or $23 per person plus tax (over the phone.) Your ticket includes one glass of wine. The Cortland winery is located at 2576 Davis Peck Rd.

CHRISTMAS AT BELIEVER’S CHURCH
Beginning at 7 p.m., enjoy live music with our Believers Church Band and special guest, Charles King. Be inspired by encouraging moments with Pastor Joe and participate in a dance party with your favorite Disney characters. You can also meet Santa and enjoy coffee and donuts from Nova Coffee Company. The event is at Believers Church Warren Campus (2577 Schenley Ave. NE, Warren, OH 44483).

LIVE NATIVITY AT TRINITY
A live nativity scene will be at Trinity Fellowship Church, located at 4749 South Ave. in Boardman, from 7 to 9 p.m. It features live actors and animals, Christmas carols, soup and hot chocolate. For more information, visit TFCYoungstown.com.

Sunday, Dec. 17:

BOARDMAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH LESSONS AND CAROLSThe annual event led by the church’s Chancel Choir will start at 10 a.m. at Boardman United Methodist (6809 Market St.). The program will include scripture readings followed by traditional hymns with organ accompaniment, choral anthems accompanied by organ, piano and handbells, as well as contemporary music with guitar and piano.

CHRISTMAS AT BELIEVER’S CHURCH
Beginning at 10:45 a.m., enjoy live music with our Believers Church Band and special guest, Charles King. Be inspired by encouraging moments with Pastor Joe and participate in a dance party with your favorite Disney characters. You can also meet Santa and enjoy coffee and donuts from Nova Coffee Company. The event is at Believers Church Warren Campus (2577 Schenley Ave. NE, Warren, OH 44483).

CHRISTMAS VENDOR BLENDER
A fun day of shopping, good food, and fun drinks from 3 to 7 p.m. at St. Bartholomew Social Center (321 W. Ridge Ave., Sharpsville, Pa.). Over 40 crafters and vendors with cash and carry items for holiday shopping. Admission is free but monetary or nonperishable food donations to Sharpsville Community Food Pantry would be appreciated.

HOLIDAY CONCERT OF GIVINGYACCB is proud to announce “A Holiday Concert of Giving”. This performance is a benefit for the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley. Monetary donations will be accepted at the door and 100% of the money raised will go directly to Second Harvest. The concert begins at 4 p.m. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The admission fee is a donation.

REAL ACTION PRO WRESTLING PRESENTS CHRISTMAS VACATION
Real Action Pro Wrestling is putting on a Christmas Vacation wrestling event at the Highland Center, located at 14 Highland Ave. in Struthers. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the first bell rings at 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for kids 10 and under at the door. Presale tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Westside Pizza Joe’s at 3506 Mahoning Ave. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Monday, Dec. 18:

MAHONING COUNTY TOYS FOR TOTS DISTRIBUTIONDistribution of toys for recipients who signed up for Mahoning County’s Toys for Tots program will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Eastern Gateway Community College’s Youngstown campus at 139 E. Boardman St.

Tuesday, Dec. 19:

MAHONING COUNTY TOYS FOR TOTS DISTRIBUTIONDistribution of toys for recipients who signed up for Mahoning County’s Toys for Tots program will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Eastern Gateway Community College’s Youngstown campus at 139 E. Boardman St.

EVERY KID DESERVES A COAT GIVEAWAY
The Youngstown City Schools District, City Kids Care and The Red Zone are teaming up to make sure children in the Valley have a coat this winter. Coats, hats and gloves will be distributed from 4-7 p.m. at Wilson Elementary School, located at 2725 Gibson Ave. in Youngstown. To register your child, head over to the event’s website.

Wednesday, Dec. 20:

LEETONIA LUTHERAN CHURCH NATIVITY DISPLAY
Large display of nativity sets at the church at 29 Spruce Street in Leetonia from 6 to 7 p.m. Free event and open to the public. Call 330-427-6585 for more information.